Overview

• German couples and children can now adopt shared double surnames, with options for hyphenated or non-hyphenated forms, addressing gender equality and minority traditions.
• Mandatory digital photo submissions replace printed passport and ID photos, with an optional fee-based home delivery service for official documents.
• Bio-waste collection is now subject to a 3 percent contamination limit, with unclean bins potentially left uncollected to improve compost quality.
• Microsoft will discontinue Skype on May 5, 2025, urging users to transition to Microsoft Teams for similar functionality.
• WhatsApp will end support for older devices running iOS versions below 15.1 or Android versions below 5.0 starting May 5, 2025.